Massive data center buyouts in Salem Township leave homeowners worried about the future

Plans are actively progressing to transform 1700 acres of land in Salem Township, Pennsylvania, into a large-scale data center campus. QTS, a Kansas-based developer, has invested over $540 million to acquire 98 individual properties for this extensive project. Residents living on a street adjacent to the acquired land express significant concern, as their homes were not included in the QTS buyout. They fear being encircled by data centers on three sides, which they anticipate will lead to increased noise, diminished property values, and a decline in their quality of life. One homeowner, who has resided in the area for only four years, voiced frustration, stating they no longer wish to live there if surrounded by such a development. A map from the consulting group managing the buyouts indicates that this specific neighborhood will be enveloped by the new QTS data center project, in addition to an existing Amazon data center further east. News Watch 16 attempted to contact both the consulting group and the Salem Township Supervisors for comment but had not received a response.